Monday, June 1, 2009

Crib Skirt Tutorial

I'm sure you all could figure this out, but I thought I'd make it easy on you by giving you all the measurements that you need!

I used my daughter's old crib skirt as a sort of template, but this one is for a boy- less girly! Or if you don't have a crib skirt to look at, here you go!

A few things first:1. I wanted the hanging panels of the skirt to hang straight. I've included measurements if you decide you want it to be a little ruffly.2. Also, on the long sides (not the short sides) I added a pleat. I'll show you how I did this, and you can also do it on the short sides if you want. Or you can just have all sides hang straight! I've got measurements for that too!3. My daughter's crib skirt was WAY too long and didn't look so nice once we lowered the crib mattress. I made this skirt so that it will hang ever so nicely once the mattress is on it's lowest setting. So, length is up to you.

Let's get started!1. Wash and press your fabric. I like to use lots of starch! It keeps things nice and crisp.

2. Cut the deck of the bed skirt (the part that the mattress will sit on) 28"x51" just like the picture below!

2. Here's where the options come in:

option a: ALL hanging panels to lay flat1a. Cut 2 pieces for the long sides 51"x13" (On the crib, I measured from thebottom of the mattress to the floor and added an inch (12+1=13") - you cancustomize to your own crib by doing the same (if you do, substitute that numberin for the 13").2a. Cut 2 pieces for the short sides 28"x13".

option b: ALL sides to have a pleat in the center1b. Cut 2 pieces for the long sides 55"x13".2b. Cut 2 pieces for the short sides 33"X13".

option c: ALL hanging panels to be ruffly:1c. Cut 2 pieces for the long sides 77"x13".2c. Cut 2 pieces for the short sides 42"x13".

You now have 5 pieces ready to go!

3. On each hanging panel: serge (don't trim any fabric off) or zig zag stitch both short sides and ONE long side. You should have only ONE raw edge on the long side of each panel when you're done.

4. On the long, serged side of each hanging panel, fold over 1/2" towards the wrong side of the fabric. Press. Pin in place and sew that baby down! Then do the same on the short, serged sides.

Three sides of each hanging panel should be beautifully hemmed, with still that one long side on each raw and untouched!

5. Sewing the panels to the deck! Here's where all our options come in again.

option a: All flat hanging panels

1a. On your deck, find the center of each side and place a pin there.

2a. On the raw edge of each panel, find the center and place a pin there.

3a. With right sides facing, line up the center pins for each side and pin together.

option b: Pleats (we'll do that below)

option c: All ruffly hanging panels

1c. On your deck, find the center of each side and place a pin there.

2c. On the raw edge of each panel, sew a basting stitch (be sure thread tension is set

low) about 1/4" away from edge.

3c. On that same edge of the panels, find the center and place a pin there.

4c. With right sides facing, line up the center pins for each panel and pin together.

Pull on the bobbin thread of your basting stitches to gather the panel into a

ruffle that is a 1/2" shorter on each side than the length of your deck. Pin in

place.

There will be an extra 1/2" of deck fabric on each side of hanging panels which is why it is VERY important to line up those centers! Sew each panel to the deck using a 1/2" seam.

Option b: Pleats!

1b. On your deck, find the center of each side and place a pin there.

2b. On the raw edge of each panel, find the center and place a pin there. On the RIGHT SIDE

of your fabric, measure 2" to the left and right of your center pin, and mark with a pin.

3b. Bring the left side pin towards the center pin so that there is now only 1" between pins,

folding the fabric over. Pin in place. See picture below.

4b. Do the same with the right side and pin. Baste the pleat in place.

This is what your pleat should look like:

5b. With right sides facing, line up center of pleat with center pin on deck. Pin along the raw

edges and sew with a 1/2" seam.

6. Serge all four raw edges together.

7. Press the seam towards the deck and pin in place.

8. Be sure to fold the corners in nicely!

9. Top stitch that seam and there you go! All done!

You can see, I did a pleat just on the long sides.

I'm no expert! Let me know if anything is confusing and I'll try to explain it better. Also, let me know if you make a crib skirt of your own, I'd love to see it.

Well I am in the process... and I'm stuck already! I'm trying to finish my raw edges without a serger. I started with a zigzag stitch but it bunched up and looks bad! Any suggestions? wider stitch? less tention? I HAVE NO IDEA! (beginner sewer here!)

I'm so glad I found your post! I've been thinking of making my own skirt since I can't find a pattern that I like. The pleating looks easier than I thought! I'll be sure to send along my finished product once I know what I'm having!

Thank you so much for taking the time to post these great directions. I would have sewn right sides together then turned inside out. Using the bias tape makes it so much easier!!! Now does anyone know any good site to buy material at good prices?? Thanks

Just found your crib skirt direction. Thank you for being so specific! I have a question I hope you or someone can answer. I am making a box pleated cribskirt for an out of state daughter; thus, I don't have a bed to measure. I have an extra crib mattress padin great shape from a few years back. If I take off the sides of this pad, could I use it as the deck? Seems like it would work. When laid out flat, the quilted part of the pad measures 27" by 53". Looks like I'll lose 1" in wide, but should be o.k. length. Since I don't sew much, I really appreciate your comments. Thanks again for such a great pattern and visuals!

Hope this isn't a duplicate. I've never posted/blogged before. Love your tutorial - thank you so much. My question - I have an extra mattress pad - do you think I could use the pad (less the stretchy side part) as the deck for the bedskirt. It measures 27" by 53". I don't have a crib to measured (daughter out of state) but seem like this would work. Thanks

I would like to sew a contrasting color in the inside pleat. What would the dimensions be for this? 4 1/2 with seam allowance? Would like to make sure first since I do not want to make a mistake with the fabric.

Great tutorial! I love that you provided several different options. I'm going to attempt to make a simple, hang-straight bed skirt for my baby boy's nursery with the help of my aunt. I'll keep you posted :)

I love your tutorial. You make it sound a lot easier than the way I have been trying to make one. I wish I had read it before I started cutting. I may have to make another trip to the fabric store to get it right.

Thanks so much for the tutorial and measurements. I just completed a crib skirt to coordinate with a beautiful quilt and pillows made by my mom and with several other flannel and fleece pieces made by a family friend. The skirt turned out great! Thanks again!

Thanks so much for the tutorial and measurements! I had been wanting to make a skirt to coordinate with a quilt and some other beautiful pieces made by my mother and a family friend. The skirt turned out great. Thanks again!

I'm a Gramma. My daughter is expecting twins and asked me to do a few little things. Like make lined curtains for the. nursery and....bed skirts. (I should add that I haven't used a sewing machine in years+. ). Thank you for your easy ltutorial. I made the skirts with pleats on each long side. Surprisingly easy and according to my daughter, "they look custom"! (Well, guess they are!)

I made a crib bedskirt with this pattern and it turned out great. I split the fabric and used a lime green/white stripes on the top and lime green/white polka dot fabric on the bottom for a border contrast. I also put in pleats but only on the (2) long sides. It was very easy to follow the pattern, saved me a bundle of money and is absolutely perfect. I am making another for a friend. Thank you for sharing this!!! Very appreciated.

You know, I didn't include a yardage. I probably bought three yards of fabric- if my math is right- you need just slightly over 2 yards to make this (say 2 1/4 just to be safe). Because the pattern can be customized, you might have to do a little math :). Also, the fabric I used was over 51 inches wide- so make sure when you buy fabric that you check to see that it's wider, or increase your yardage so that you can get your pieces to fit the length of your crib.

Hey Unknown- hopefully you get this asap! I just glanced through the comments, and I saw the mention of bias tape, but I never used it in my tutorial. Maybe they used it to cover the raw edges because they didn't have a serger? That's what I assume. Good luck and I'd love to see the finished product!

Thank you for sharing! Your instructions were easy to follow. The crib skirt I made (with center pleats) turned out great. I'm posting this page to Pinterest (with full credit to you) so I can find it again. Appreciate you sharing the process!

Thanks for the tutorial. I used it to make a crib skirt with center pleat on the long side. This was perfect since I used a fabric with vertical stripes, and it needed to be pieced together. I used the pleat to hide the seam. I LOVE how it turned out! Thanks again!